Where did the energy go? What sports brands can learn from those doing it right.
- Stuart Lang
- May 26
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 8
For an industry built on passion, rivalry and raw emotion, sports marketing has become surprisingly forgettable.
While the game keeps evolving, too much of the branding, comms and content around it feels stuck. Safe. Sanitised. Predictable. Kit drops that look like last year’s. Player campaigns that say everything and nothing. Tone of voice that’s so polished it’s lifeless.
Yet, in the corners of culture - away from the traditional giants - a new energy is rising. Smaller, bolder brands are capturing the hearts of fans by doing what the legacy players won’t: speaking human, taking risks, and showing real soul.
So where did it go wrong? And who’s getting it right?
The Legacy Brands Falling Behind
FIFA
Despite holding the biggest sporting event on earth, FIFA has failed to connect emotionally with fans. From sterile branding to awkward attempts at relevance (remember “Footix”?), its comms often feel tone-deaf.
Even the 2022 World Cup - despite incredible on-pitch moments - was wrapped in controversy, diluted storytelling, and global disinterest in the governing body itself.
Where it goes wrong: It lacks credibility, cultural awareness and emotional intelligence. There’s no consistent voice - just corporate noise.
NIKE
Nike used to set the tone for culture. Now, it’s often chasing it. While smaller brands (like Corteiz or 247 Represent) are embedded in sub-cultures, Nike often feels like it’s looking in from the outside trying to “collab” its way into relevance.
The Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95 release worked because Corteiz drove the energy, not Nike.
Nike’s own youth-focused comms (especially in football) often feel overproduced and under-connected to how Gen Z actually talks and creates.
There’s a growing perception that Nike is overplaying its hand. Too many drops, too many similar product lines, and an increasing emphasis on scarcity and resale culture rather than innovation and creativity. There’s a difference between being everywhere - and being meaningful everywhere.
Reebok
Once a global giant with a strong heritage in basketball and fitness, Reebok is now largely sidelined in both performance and street culture having failed to activate relevance or appeal with fresh energy, collaboration, or community. Their continued focus on performance footwear has seen it lag behind the trends that have allowed others to surpass it.
Where it’s falling short: Expensive athlete and team sponsorships that yielded little return, the brand has struggled to find a clear identity in the modern market. It lacks a consistent voice - neither fully performance-driven nor culturally embedded like Nike or adidas. Despite flashes of retro appeal, it hasn’t established a meaningful connection with Gen Z or younger athletes.
Notable others > The IOC, Umbro, Mizuno, Asics, New Balance Football
All of which have been playing it too safe with campaigns, tone and visuals. They've leant on heritage without reinvention, missing the chance to collaborate with new voices or sub-cultures. And critically, they fail to speak in the language of today’s fan and athlete.
Major kit launches (you know who you are)
Too many top-tier clubs still drop kits with zero narrative. Swap the badge, and it could be anyone’s. The photography is stiff. The copy is generic. The rollout is a press release in disguise.
Where it goes wrong: They treat kits as commodities, not culture. There's no sense of why it matters. No connection to the fans.
Brands leaning on former glory
Some legacy sports brands are still trading on past glories - recycling old campaigns, relying on big-name athletes, and avoiding creative risk. They fear alienating their base, and in doing so, fail to excite the next generation.
Where it goes wrong: Playing it safe has become the riskiest move of all.
Who’s doing interesting things?
Patta x Nike x FC Barcelona
This wasn’t just a kit drop - it was a cultural statement. Amsterdam-based streetwear label Patta teamed up with Nike and Barça to release a limited-edition shirt, rooted in Pan-African symbolism and community heritage.
The launch wasn’t led by a photoshoot. It was backed by a short film, “The Wave,” and a soundscape by local artists. It felt like something made with purpose, not pushed through a commercial machine.
Why it worked: It tapped into identity, culture and community. It was more than a product - it was a perspective.
Copa90’s Player Stories
Copa90 continues to lead the way in football storytelling - focusing on fan-first narratives and real human emotion. Their coverage of players like Bukayo Saka or grassroots clubs around the world shows what happens when you stop scripting and start listening.
Why it works: They treat football as culture, not just content. It’s authentic, not overproduced. That builds trust.
Gymshark’s Rise Through Community
Not a traditional sports brand, but a masterclass in how to grow without big-budget gloss. Gymshark became a billion-dollar brand through micro-influencers, real-world community events, and a hyper-engaged social strategy that speaks with people, not at them.
Why it works: It’s all about real connection. They built a brand around belonging, not just product.
Blokecore: The Rise of Unofficial Style Culture
Blokecore isn’t a brand - it’s a movement. Fuelled by TikTok creators and vintage collectors, it’s revived classic football shirts as fashion staples and reignited cultural nostalgia. Adidas has leaned in smartly, but much of the heat is organic - from the ground up.
Why it works: It’s DIY, fan-led and full of personality. Brands didn’t create it - the community did. And that’s what makes it matter.
Flock Together FC
What started as a birdwatching collective for people of colour evolved into a football team with a message - using sport to reclaim space, visibility and joy. Their visual identity, content and voice are bold, defiant and deeply rooted in community purpose.
Why it works: It’s mission-first, but never preachy. Their aesthetic is distinctive. Their story is authentic. Their message is clear.
EA Sports FC Launch (Post-FIFA Rebrand)
EA’s move away from FIFA could’ve been corporate chaos - but they turned it into a bold repositioning. With a new name, new identity and a launch campaign focused on the future of the game, they put fan creativity, player expression and culture at the centre.
Why it works: It signalled change, not just a rename. They embraced evolution - and invited fans into the narrative.
SEASON Zine
A trailblazing, independent print and digital platform exploring the intersection of football, fashion and culture - from a female perspective.
Why it works: SEASON fills a void mainstream media ignored - they serve the underserved. It’s unapologetically stylish, inclusive, and smart - celebrating both the game and the people around it. They prove that when you build a brand around a purpose (not a product), loyalty follows.
McLaren F1
McLaren has made a comeback. Not just in racing terms, but in brand terms. They’ve become the darling of F1’s younger fanbase.
Why it works: Drivers like Lando Norris bring charisma, but McLaren’s visual rebrand, content production and fan engagement (especially through YouTube, Discord and Twitch) are cutting-edge. They invest in the personalities, not just the performance - letting their talent drive the brand.
GUAP
A youth-led creative network that bridges culture, music and sport - including innovative partnerships with Nike and JD Sports, amongst others.
Why it works: GUAP isn’t a sports brand per se, but they shape how youth culture intersects with sport. They don’t just make campaigns - they build platforms for others to shine. GUAP is proof that co-creation is the new marketing. Brands that empower communities, rather than talking at them, build deeper relevance.
Paris Saint-Germain x Brand Collaborations
PSG have a long history of collaborating with leading designers like Esteban Cortazar, Evangelion, Verdy and Jordan to remix football apparel with a fashion-forward lens - bridging sport, design and streetwear.
Why it works: PSG has long leaned into lifestyle, but these collabs feel genuinely cool, not corporate. It shows how nimble collabs can refresh even big clubs’ image. It shows us that style is substance. Younger audiences engage with football through fashion as much as fixtures these days.
Laced
A sneaker resale marketplace that has quietly become a cultural hub - frequently collaborating with footballers and creators on drops and content.
Why it works: Laced knows the overlap between streetwear and football culture. It doesn’t force a “sports” narrative - it just lives in that world. They prove that relevance today lives at the edges - in subcultures, not categories.
This Fan Girl
Representation isn't a trend - it's a truth. Brands who ignore it are already behind. This Fan Girl is a platform and movement championing female football fans, dismantling stereotypes and promoting inclusion in the game.
Why it works: It’s authentic, grassroots and visually distinct. Their campaigns around the Women’s Euros and club football feel personal, not performative.
Freetrain
A young fitness accessories brand that made a name with their chest-running phone vest - and built a cult following through athlete influencers and no-BS branding.
Why it works: It’s a product-led brand that feels scrappy and smart. Their tone of voice is direct, and they back it up with community credibility. They solve a real problem, talk like a human, and encourage us to back your tribe.
247 Represent
Born from the intersection of football, grime, and streetwear, 247 Represent is a new creative sportswear label that fuses performance gear with a bold, culture-first aesthetic. Their community-led shoots, sharp product photography and tone of voice make even Instagram drops feel editorial.
Why it works: 247 doesn’t just borrow from culture - it’s built from it. With roots in South London and ties to music, community and performance, the brand has quickly carved a space that feels real, relevant and unapologetically local. The name itself speaks to a relentless mindset - 24/7 - echoing the energy of both sport and city life. The brand also connects naturally with the aesthetics of grime, UK rap, and five-a-side culture, making it more than just another apparel startup.
Venice Beach Football Club
Local can be global - if the energy is right. VBFC is an amateur football club in California that’s become a creative brand - mixing music, art, style and community into everything it does.
Why it works: All vibes and values, the club are turning local identity into global inspiration, with great kits and killer content. A lesson to us all that culture-first beats commerce-first every time.
These brands are proving that in sport, you don’t need a stadium to build a movement.
They speak like fans, not marketers.
They lead with values, not vanity.
They build communities, not just audiences.
They are the brands and communities reshaping the rules. Not by mimicking the past, but by building something different. Something messier, more real, and more human.
They don’t just market sport. They live in it. They know fans aren’t audiences — they’re collaborators.
So, What Can We Learn?
The brands winning right now aren't necessarily the biggest. They’re the ones closest to the culture. The ones that speak with personality. That use fewer buzzwords and more truth. That understand fans want to feel something, not just see something.
They prioritise community over hierarchy. Story over slogan. Realness over reach.
They also take risks. And that’s the real divide - not between big and small, but between those brave enough to try something different, and those too scared to try at all.
Want to Add Your Voice?
At Propellant, we want to build a richer, more provocative take on what sports marketing could be, and where it is heading next. So we’re digging deeper into this shift - by collecting perspectives and soundbites from across the sport and brand world.
If you’re a brand leader, marketer, athlete or creative in the sports world and have a perspective to share - we’d love to hear it. Drop an email to stuart@propellant.agency and we’ll send over the full list of questions.
Let’s raise the bar. And bring the energy back.
